RilaMountain lake
Ribni Lakes
The Ribni Lakes are one of the characteristic lake groups of central Rila. The two principal lakes, Upper and Lower Ribno Lake, lie on separate glacial terraces in the upper Rilska River valley.
Mountain
Rila
Elevation
—
Area
Upper: approx. 176 decares; Lower: approx. 47 decares
Depth
up to 9 m
About this place
About Ribni Lakes
The Ribni Lakes are one of the characteristic lake groups of central Rila. The two principal lakes, Upper and Lower Ribno Lake, lie on separate glacial terraces in the upper Rilska River valley.
Ribni Ezera Hut stands between the two lakes, making the area an important hiking junction between Rila Monastery, central Rila and the high main ridge.
Access
How to get there
1
MAIN APPROACH: The most popular access begins from Kirilova Polyana and follows the Rilska River valley toward Tiha Rila.
2
FROM TIHA RILA: Continue on the marked hiking trail toward the Ribni Lakes and Ribni Ezera Hut. In normal summer conditions this section takes approximately an hour and a half.
3
LOWER LAKE FIRST: Approaching from the north, hikers first reach the Lower Ribno Lake area, followed by the hut and Upper Ribno Lake.
4
CONTINUING FURTHER: From the area it is possible to continue toward Smradlivo Lake or onto the high-mountain routes of central Rila.
5
NAVIGATION: Follow trail markings and BGMountains, particularly in fog and low cloud.
6
WINTER: This description applies to snow-free conditions. Snow requires winter preparation and an independent assessment of mountain hazards.
Map
BGMountains
Interactive topographic map showing the location of the lake.
Details
Basic information
Mountain
Rila
Elevation
—
Area
Upper: approx. 176 decares; Lower: approx. 47 decares
Max. depth
up to 9 m
Interesting
Interesting facts
1
Upper Ribno Lake lies at approximately 2,227 m and is one of the largest glacial lakes in Rila.
2
Its surface area is approximately 176–180 decares and its maximum depth is around 9 metres.
3
Lower Ribno Lake is considerably smaller, covering approximately 47 decares, and also reaches about 9 metres in depth.
4
Ribni Ezera Hut is located between the two principal lakes.
5
The cirque is surrounded by high peaks including Kanarata, Yosifitsa and Kyoravitsa.
Nearby
Nearby places
Smradlivo LakeDyavolski LakesRibni Ezera HutKanarata PeakYosifitsa PeakKyoravitsa PeakTiha Rila
BGMountainGuide
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Map, access and useful information directly in the app.